Coach Atul Godbole answers your training related questions…

Q. Kedar asks “While open-water swimming, sometimes are buoys are not clearly visible or there is sun shining directly on the eyes. Any suggestions for sighting better?”

A.One tactic you can use if you are swimming towards land, is to orient yourself against a stationary object on the land like a tower, a mountain or a building. Another thing you can do is follow the swimmer ahead of you after ascertaining once or twice that he/she is going in the right direction. This of course has a certain risk but if you know the swimmer to be strong and a good sighter, then its worth taking. Of course, sight for yourself just to be sure, but much less frequently.

Q. Mukund asks “Is a short swim a good way to cool down? ”

A.  Yes, a short and easy swim of maybe 15-20 minutes is a very good cool down activity.

It is a good recovery activity too. After a hard/long workout in the morning, you can do a light short easy swim of 20-30 minutes in the evening or the next day, to aid recovery.

But be sure to keep it easy! The cooldown/recovery swim should not become a workout!

Runners and triathletes, have training, diet, nutrition related queries? Send email to askthecoach@motiv8coaching.com